Kentucky Partners with the College Board on New Computer Science Initiative

This week, the College Board joined partners from the Kentucky Department of Education, Code.org, and AdvanceKentucky to announce a new computer science initiative that will expand computer science learning opportunities for Kentucky public school students. The initiative will also further the development of statewide computer science standards, student industry certifications, professional development opportunities for teachers, and teacher certification guidance.

Among the increased opportunities for students to access computer science education, the College Board and its partners plan to offer AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP), the newest AP course, in at least 150 additional high schools across the state. AP CSP was designed to address the nation’s growing demand for individuals with computer science skills by attracting and engaging a wide variety of students—including those traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields—to the foundational concepts of computer science.

“An education in computer science and coding—the tools with which the future is being built—has been out of reach for too many students. With AP CSP we’ve changed the invitation to help all students discover how computing and technology shape the world around them,” said Trevor Packer, College Board’s Senior Vice President of AP and Instruction.

The College Board has also committed to training 50 teachers each year for three years to expand student access to AP CSP, which with this initiative may count as a science requirement for high school graduation as well as an elective or a fourth mathematics course.

The announcement in Kentucky continues the momentum for AP CSP, which launched in the fall of 2016 in more than 2,500 schools, making it the largest course launch in AP history. Data from the spring AP Exams shows that the number of female students enrolled in a computer science-related AP course doubled this year.

The College Board thanks Kentucky Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt, Governor Matt Bevin, Senator David Givens, and our partners at Code.org and AdvanceKentucky for their commitment to ensuring that more students across Kentucky can discover the possibilities that studying computer science offers them.